Bleeding gums in pregnancy harms babies

Women go through various biological changes in their body during pregnancy which might affect their daily routine. This can in turn increase the risks of oral disease.

Hormonal changes in a pregnant lady can cause inflamed gums, and this inflammation can make a pregnant woman more vulnerable to the bacteria in plaque. This phenomenon is known as “Pregnancy Associated Gingivitis”. Apart from biological changes, a woman’s dietary habits also change during pregnancy. With a greater amount of food consumption in a day, the probability of having a tooth decay or other oral problems also becomes higher if proper healthcare after every meal is not given priority.

Poor oral health of a pregnant women not only affects her but has a great impact on their fetus. Research has proven that periodontal disease in pregnant women may be a risky factor, as it can elevate the chances of preterm birth or underweight new born.

Relationship between Poor Oral Health of a Newbie Mother and the Infant

New mother are another group of people that tend to overlook their oral health. The exhaustion due to the nursing and taking care of the new born as well as the pressure of being a new mother can cause women to neglect their oral health, leading to periodontal disease and tooth decay. Keeping in mind the intimate relationship between a mother and a child, especially during the first three years, the mother’s oral hygiene habits are directly influential on the health condition of their child.

Most often mothers share their food with their children, or use the same spoon to feed themselves and the child. The tooth decay bacteria may pass on to the kids through these actions. As a result, oral health of mothers is directly related to the oral health of the child.

Studies have revealed that good oral health is necessary for a good overall health and the wellbeing of a person. Not only mothers are required to set good examples for their kids, but also take care of their oral health as it may affect the oral health of their children. They must obey the “four dental hacks to perfect clean teeth” which includes:

Going for regular dental checkups

Brushing the teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once before bedtime, using a fluoride toothpaste

Using a dental floss or a mouthwash, the one which contains fluoride, daily

Chewing sugar free gums after eating or drinking

Saliva is the natural acid neutralizer and chewing of sugar free gums increases the production of saliva 10 times. There are 3 main advantages of increased saliva secretion:

Lowering the acidity in the mouth

Replacing the mineral ions that were lost, back onto the tooth surfaces damaged as a result of plaque acid

Helping to remove residue of the sweet food on the tooth

So all mothers and children must chew sugar free gums for at least five to ten minutes after every meal as it not only neutralizes the acidity of the mouth, but also helps curb the formation of plaque and clearing out food residue in the gaps between teeth as well as reducing the stickiness on tooth surfaces.

To maximize effectiveness, all mothers need to follow the “The Ten-Minute Rule” by chewing gums within ten minutes of every meal, which will prevent acid damaging the teeth.

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Dental is part of the Medical News Group of publications which in 1968 became the pioneer of medical journalism in Pakistan. Medical News is the only periodical in Pakistan which has 3 simultaneous editions from Karachi, Islamabad and online.